"So you're telling me, your erasthai, the cute fluffball who you found by the border, is the prince of the Seelie court, the more 'evil' of the fae folk and now his deranged relatives are planning to destroy you alongside him just so they can keep the throne and probably for the fun of it too?" Klaus rambles in disbelief.
"To sum it up, yes Klaus that's exactly what I'm telling you." I sigh.
"Then what in the world are we going to do?!" He goes from disbelief to panicked rather quickly.
I let my face fall into my palms. "I don't know, I really don't know." My voice cracks slightly.
I hear Klaus calm down as he wheels the chair in the meeting room closer to me. "Nyx?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
I lift my head from my palms and shoot him a tiny smile. "I'll be fine."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Talk about what? about how things are spiralling out of control? about how it's only a matter of time before the council finds out I have a erasthai, a male erasthai and bring their crazy asses to the castle? Talk about how my erasthai's wonderful relatives have basically concocted a prophecy that claims we will destroy each other?Talk about that?"
Klaus holds up his two hands up in surrender. "Woah. Okay let's just calm down and take deep breaths."
"Don't tell me to calm down. I am calm." I growl, slamming my fist onto the table.
Klaus raises an eyebrow and I sigh, letting out a deep breath. "Okay, maybe I wasn't calm. I'm just slightly stressed out okay?"
Klaus pats my shoulder comfortingly. "I know."
We both sat nothing for a while. "Come on let's get to work. That always seems to cheer you up."
I smile slightly.
We carry on with our daily duties peacefully and after a while Klaus asks, seemingly out of the blue. "Where is your erasthai anyways?"
"He's getting a check up done. Lydia says he's healing very quickly." I answer without looking up from the document in front of me.
"That's good."
I hum. "The sooner he heals the sooner I can get to training him."
"Training?" Klaus asks slightly taken aback.
"He's weak, physically. I don't know what the strength levels of the fae are but I do know he wouldn't last very long against a Lycan and with all that I can sense is about to happen, He'll need to be strong."
"Why would he need to fight one of us though? He's going to be the Prince consort. People wouldn't dare touch him."
I remain quiet for a moment letting him think about it and soon enough Klaus drops his pen in realization . "You think people are going to challenge him? There hasn't been a challenge since the day you beat the Council's prodigy."
I shrug nonchalantly even though my thoughts are anything but nonchalant. "Well, there hasn't been a female king ever. There would be so many people itching to take his place so they could belittle my decisions, or get me out of the way. The council too would not be an exception. Besides, he's one of the Fae Folk, many won't like that. He needs to learn how to hold his own."
Klaus lets out a shaky breath. "Speaking of that, what do you plan to do about the council?"
I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance. "We don't tell them anything, not until he's trained, or atleast not injured. Lord knows those bigoted old men would do anything stir the pot."
Klaus nodd in understanding. "I'll do my best to ensure his existence stays within the pack.
"It shouldn't be too hard, the only people who know he's my erasthai are myself, you and Lydia."
"Weren't there a bunch of people who saw you bring him to the pack doctor?"
I contemplate his words. "Yeah, but it wouldn't be the first time I'd find someone passed out at the borders asking for help or seeking to speak to the King. It's nothing too suspicious. He'll just have to stay out of sight for the time being."
Klaus nods and begins to pack up.
I send a smile his way just as he's about to leave. "Hey Klaus?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for having my back."
Klaus beams at me showing off his pearly whites. "Always."
- - -
"Cas, You have to kick harder." I instruct.
"Why?" My erasthai whines just before he's pinned to the ground by Acardia, Klaus' erasthai and my Beta Female.
"Unless that'll happen." I point out before clapping briskly. "That's okay, get off him Acardia." I order feeling my lycan side get possessive.
Arcadia shoots me a knowing smirk whilst doing as I said and I bare my teeth at her in response.
Caspian or Cas as he insisted I call him, something about people not needing to know his actual name, jumps up and dusts himself off. "Remind me again why I have to do this? I have my magic!" He huffs, annoyed.
"And what happens when you can use it?"
Cas frowns at me but succumbs to my gaze in the end. "Fine. But I'll have you know, I don't like this."
I walk closer to him and brush his hair out of his face. "I'm sorry, I know you're not used to this. I just want to keep you safe."
Cas smiles charmingly at me, leaning into my touch. "I know."
Arcadia coughs from behind us before clapping excitedly. "Come on no time to be mushy."
I chuckle at the sour expression on Cas' face on being interrupted.
Cas turns to me, frowning slightly. "Tell me once more why you can't train me?" He points to Arcadia with a sneer on his face. "She is enjoying the way too much.
I let out a loud, hearty laugh. "I'd subconsciously go easy on you, and even then you probably couldn't take me." I explain amused.
Cas sends an offended look my way. "Hey! that's not true, I'm strong."
I hear Arcadia cackle in the background and watch as Cas shoots her a venomous glare.
I merely smile at him, thoroughly amused before patting his shoulder. "Sure thing buddy, Sure thing."
- - -
Cas and I are sitting in my study after his training session, him in the armchair across from me reading a book while I take care of paperwork when a loud knock sounds on my door.
"Who is it?" I call out but no one answers.
I sniff the air trying to get scent. Nothing.
My eyebrows scrunch up in confusion as I ask again. "Who is it?"
Again, silence.
Cas looks at me confused as I slide out of my chair and head to the door.
I push it open and look around but like always , the corridor is empty.
I was about to put it off as a dumb prank when my gaze is drawn to the ground. Sitting there was a brand new copy of The Art of War by Sun Tzu
I narrow my eyes at it as I pick it up, walking into the office and shutting the door behind me.
"Who was it?" Cas pipes up from the chair.
"No one." I mumble.
Cas eyes the book in my hand curiously. "What's that?"
"A book I think?"
I slide back into my own chair and open the book. On the first page, I see a note.
One line. Seven words. Twenty letters. One emoticon
You're going to need this ;)
As my eyes sweep over the words I tense.
I look up to see Cas watching me with concern
"Cas?" I whisper and he hums in reply.
I slide the book over to his side of the table. "Is there magic on this?"
Cas drops the book he was reading reaching out to the book I placed on the table grasping, it and turning it over.
He looks up at me with his eyes wide in confusion. "Yes."
And then all hell breaks loose.
Not a moment later Klaus barges into mr office, Arcadia not far behind him.
"What is going on?" I question irritatedly and they both began to talk in hurried words so quickly that even my sharp ears failed to understand exactly what they were attempting to say.
"Shut up." I command. "One at a time. Klaus, you go first."
Klaus takes a deep breath before starting. "There was a breach in the borders, Someone got in without us noticing. I came here as soon as I could, I thought you might be in danger."
I tun my hands through my dark locks as I try to remain calm. Cas takes notice of the fact that my patience is hanging by a thread and reaches out to me. I take his hand and smile slightly at how comfortable we'd become with each other.
"Acardia?" I ask turning to her, not quite sure if I take could any more bad news.
My Beta female glances at me hesitantly and I furrow my eyebrows at the twinge of fear I spot in her eyes. "The council is coming."
- -
"How the hell did the council find out about Cas?" I slam my fist into the table, visibly annoyed.
"Someone must have snitched." That comes from Klaus.
"Yes, but who? From what you've told me nobody outside of this room with the exception of Lydia knew he was Nyx's erasthai." Acardia asks, confused.
"I trust Lydia just as much as I trust the two of you."
Acardia looks taken aback and offended. "I know! I wasn't implying Lydia was untrustworthy."
"Just making sure."
"I don't know a lot about this council but I think we would all agree we have bigger things to worry about." Cas cuts in.
Both Klaus and Arcadia raise an eyebrow in my direction.
"He doesn't know about the council?" They ask simultaneously.
"Hey! We just haven't gotten around to discussing them." I defended and Cas sends a look my way that says; 'we'll discuss this later.'
I shoot him an apologetic look right back and for a moment I could've sworn I heard Klaus coo in the background.
"Yes, so the intruder." I begin as I opened up the book I found outside my office and show the note to Klaus and Arcadia. "I think they came to drop this off."
After they're done analysing the note they both sat back in their chairs.
"What does it mean?" Klaus asks.
"I believe it's a declaration of war." I answer darkly.
Our impromptu meeting finally came to an end after a promise from Arcadia to find out who told the council about Cas and one from Klaus promising to beef up security and ask around to see if anyone noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Cas and I were headed back to the living room in my wing to talk about the council when Klaus stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Can I talk to you?" He asks a bit stiffly
I send Cas off ahead with a nod. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few."
I turn to face Klaus. "What's up."
He sticks his hands in his pockets and leans back nervously. "Have you- have you maybe considered Cas might've been part of this?"
I growl involuntarily. "What're you implying Klaus?"
"Calm down Okay. I'm only looking out for you. And besides don't you think it's all a bit sudden, and weird? From what I've gathered so far no one saw the intruder. If it wasn't for Lupe catching on to the weird scent no one would've known either. It has to be magic or else how else would they have gotten past security? Only the fae folk and witches have magic Nyx." Klaus pushes hesitantly.
I let out a deep breath and try to think objectively. "I understand your concerns, but I trust Cas, So trust me."
Klaus nods respectfully. "That's all I needed to hear. I'll keep you updated." He walks away and I stand there for a while ruminating on the discussion.
I shake the invasive thoughts out of my head. Cas would never, would he?
"Come on out now." I say to what appeared to be thin air.
The air shimmers before Caspian appears in place of it.
I cross my arms. "I thought we agreed no more glamours without telling me beforehand."
Cas shrugs sheepishly. "I was curious, besides you knew I was there."
I huff in annoyance, Klaus words getting to me. "That's not the point though is it? You said you wouldn't and you did."
Cas looks slightly taken aback as he takes a cautious step towards me. "Is this actually about the glamour or about what your little pup said?"
I their my hands in the air exasperated. "Do. Not. Talk. About. Klaus. That. Way." I say, emphasising on every syllable. "Besides, doesn't it even matter? If you had kept your word you wouldn't even have overheard that conversation."
"Woah woah woah, I don't know what you hear but it's starting to sound like you don't trust me." Cas says, offended.
My eyes soften. "I do trust you." I whisper softly. "It's just not a great look when you sneak around and do things you said you wouldn't.
"Like how you didn't tell me about this council thingy?."He bites back , putting air quotes when he says, 'council thingy'.
I scoff. "Now you're just reaching. The council never came up because I thought we had more time. This on the other hand, we discussed."
"It doesn't matter. You're still keeping secrets." Cas all but shouts at me.
"You want to know about the council so bad?" I ask,my voice cracking ever so slightly. "The council are a group of wise old men who ensure the continuity and smooth running of the entire lycan species. They're like unreasonably powerful advisors who don't care about anything but themselves and keeping to dumb,sexist and misogynistic ideals and traditions." I spit out angrily.
Cas takes another step forward, reaching out for me. "You don't have to."
I slap his hand away shakily. "No, you wanted to know."
I take a step back, away from him. "The council is a bunch of bigoted fools who not a week after my parents death tried to manipulate into doing things the way they wanted. They are the type of people who would constantly send me suitors and try to marry me off all under the facade of helping in an attempt to get me off the throne because I couldn't possibly rule over anything properly simply because I didn't have a dick between my legs. They are the ones who turned multiple of my people against me in hopes of 'ridding the throne of the unfit king'. They are the reason I had to constantly train day and night while trying to keep up with paper work because they kept sending challenger after challenger after me the second my head touched that crown. They are the reason I have to keep constantly proving myself to the rest of the Lycan world. That's who the council is. And if you'd really like to know, I didn't tell you about them because I didn't see the need to just yet. I was going to keep them away. Protect you from the challenges and or manipulation I know they would send your way to get to me. My bad."
Caspian opens his mouth to say something but I turn around before he can
I start to storm off but I stop abruptly, spinning around to face him. "Oh and Caspian, during all that time Klaus was the only one other than Lydia who outrightly stood by me. Don't ever insult him over something so petty again. Erasthai or not, he's family."